Libyan rebels seized all of the mountain town of Yafran on Monday, driving out Muammar Qadhafi's forces in a sign Nato air strikes may be paying off. Yafran is spread over a hill, the bottom part of which had been controlled by pro-Qadhafi forces for more than a month and used to besiege the rebel-controlled part. Rebel flags could be seen along with defaced posters of Qadhafi.
Food, drinking water and medicines were running short. Yafran, 100 km (60 miles) south-west of Tripoli, is in the Western Mountains where the population, mostly from the Berber ethnic minority, have joined the uprising against Qadhafi. British warplanes destroyed two tanks and two armoured personnel carriers in Yafran on June 2. At least two powerful blasts were heard early on Monday evening in Tripoli, where Nato has been bombing targets of Qadhafi's government since March. Libyan television said the neighbourhood of al-Karama was hit by Nato forces, but gave no further details.
The rebels control the east of Libya, the western city of Misrata and the range of mountains near the border with Tunisia. But they have been unable to advance on the capital against Qadhafi's better-equipped forces, despite Nato air strikes. Asked about reports of rebel gains in the Western mountain area, Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Khaled Kaim told reporters government forces could retake rebel territory in hours, but were holding back from doing so to avoid civilian casualties.
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